Background: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most common cardiovascular disease in developing countries. CAD also called coronary heart disease, is a condition in which plaque (plak) builds up inside the coronary arteries. These arteries supply your heart muscle with oxygen-rich blood. Objective: The purpose of the study was to investigate the characteristics and value of gated SPECT MPI with Technetium - 99m sestamibi using dipyridamole stress in diagnosis of CAD. Subjects and method: One hundred and forty - six suspected or known CAD patients, mean age 65.2 \xb1 9.11, underwent gated SPECT MPI with technetium - 99m sestamibi using dipyridamole stress. These patients was performed coronary angiography. Results: Of 146 patients, 33.6% had no adverse reaction to intravenous dipyridamole and no fatal adverse events (myocardial infarction, death ... ) was reported. The most common adverse reactions were headache (49.3%), chest pain (40.4%). Aminophyline was administrated to 25.7% of 146 patients and complete relief of symptoms in 91.3% of these patients. The sensitivity for detection of CAD was 95.2 % and the specificity and accuracy were 78.6% and 91.1 %. When excluded the patients with previous MI, these values were 88.9%; 80.0% and 85.7% respectively. Among the coronary branches, the sensitivity was highest in diagnosis of LAD and highest specificity was LCX lesions. Conclusions: The Technetium - 99m sestamibi gated SPECT using dipyridamole stress is a safety and valuable technique for the detection of CAD. \r\n', u' \r\n', u'
Coronary Artery Disease/epidemiology ; pathology ; Dipyridamole/ administration & ; dosage

Background: Helminth infection cause bad impacts on human health, especially for children.Helminth infection directly related to poverty, bad hygiene, low quality water supply, people awareness... Objective: To investigate the current situation of soil transmitted helminth infection in Son La province. Subject and Method: A total sample of 7,150 fecal specimen collected from72 hamlets, 18 communes in 6 districts of Mai Son, Muong la, Thuan Chau, Song Ma, Quynh Nhai and Yen Chau were examined for soil-transmitted helminths. Result: A cumulative infection rate of 93.45% was found, of which Ascaris: 85.85%, Trichuris: 24.52%, and hookworm: 18.92%. No different' infection rate was found between males and females but it was higher with ages. The prevalence of Trichuris and hookworm was higher in adults against children and higher with the older ages. The infection of Trichuris and hookworm in adults was higher than that in children. The single helminth infection rate was 82.17%, and mixed infection of two species was 15.9% and three species 0.43%. The helminth infection among Sinh MUD ethnic group: 97.2%, Thai ethnic group: 96.6%, La Ha ethnic group: 85%, Kinh ethnic group: 80.62%, and H'mong ethnic group: 45.96%. The hookworm infection rate of Kinh and H'mong groups was found higher that of the others ethnic groups. KAP surveys were conducted with 2,188 households showing a high latrine coverage of 90.6%, of which 92.9% of latrines were self-made. The more was the rate of self-made latrine, the higher was the helminth infection. Conclusion: Low awareness and knowledge of the local people on helminth infection was found so as they do not know how to prevent from helminth.
Helminth infection ; ethnic group ; Son La province

Background: Hypertensive with impaired fasting glucose is the basic expression of metabolic syndrome. Objectives: To study the IR and the correlation between Fasting Plasma Insulin (FPI) and Fasting Plasma Glucose (FPG) concentration in hypertensive patients with Impaired Fasting Glucose (IFG). Subjects and method: The descriptive, cross-sectional study was carried out on 38 hypertensive patients with IFG (IFG group) and 30 hypertensive patients without IFG (control group). The data were collected and analyzed by SPSS 11.5 software. Results:The FPI and IR index in the IFG group were 14.6+/-5.2 micro mol/ml and 3. 94+/- l.40, respectively, higher than in the control group (9.6+/-4.2 micro mol/ml and 2.17+/-0.99/ respectively) with p<0.00l. There was a positive correlation between FPI and FPG systolic blood and diastolic blood pressure/ with correlation coefficients were 0.4/ 0.48 and 0.46/ respectively (p<0.00l). Conclusion: There was an increase of FPI and IR index in the hypertensive patients with IFG compared to those without IFG. \r\n', u'\r\n', u'
Insulin resistance ; hypertensive patients ; impaired fasting glucose.

Background: Phu Cat district, Binh Dinh province is one of the areas contaminated with Agent Orange in Wartime and now up to it still continues to affect the environmental life and health of people living there. Objectives: Investigate the factual status of mortality rate from 2002 to 2006 in Phu Cat district, Binh Dinh province and determine the burden of mortality based on the number of Years of Lost Life (YLLs). Subject and methods: A retrospective study was conducted on all deaths from January 1, 2002 to December 31, 2006 in Phu Cat population. Burden of mortality was analyzed using the WHO standard method. The dead cases were causal diagnosed by Verbal Autopsy tools and update information for mortality rate. Results: Mortality rates were 3.1%o (2002), 3.3%o (2003), 4.08%o (2004) and 2.67% (2005). YLLs from 2002 to 2006 in order are: 55.87%, 57.98%, 73.82%, 48.74% and 49.01%, respectively. The number of mortality in men was higher than women and had a tendency to increase from 2002 to 2004, to decrease during 2005 and 2006. YLLs in group of ages 0-4 was highest in 2004 (150.76%o), followed by 2002 (126.28%o) and was lowest in 2005 (39.72%o). YLLs in groups of ages >60 was high, especially in non-communicable disease. Conclusions: Mortality model from 2002 to 2006 in Phu Cat district, Binh Dinh province was appropriate for the national mortality model. According to YLLs, the burden of mortality was determined as the general burden of mortality from 2002 to 2006 and burden of mortality followed disease groups: communicable disease, nutrition disease and pregnancy; non-communicable disease; poisoned and accident related diseases.
burden of mortality ; mortality

Background: Hepatitis B is an infectious illness caused by hepatitis B virus (HBV) which infects the liver of hominoidea, including humans, and causes an inflammation called hepatitis. Objectives: The aim of study is to clarify clinical features and molecular characteristics of HBV in chronic HBV-infected patients with A 1899 mutation. Subjects and method: HBV genotype, HBV-ONA level, HBeAg and anti-HBe in 29 chronic HBV-infected patients were determined by PCR-RFLP, Real-time PCR and ELISA, respectively. Mutations were analyzed by direct sequencing. Results: Mutations in core-promoter/precore regions of HBV genome can suppress HBeAg secretion and stimulate HBV-ONA replication. The prevalence of hepatocel- lular carcinoma (HCc): 10/29, liver cirrhosis (LC) : 15/29 are significantly higher than that in chronic hepatitis (CH) : 4/29 (P < 0.001). HbeAg seroconversion rate in CH (75%) is higher than that in HCC \r\n', u'(40%) and in LC (53.3%), but not significant (P > 0.05). ALT level is the highest in CH and the lowest in HCC \r\n', u'(P = 0.02), 8/10 (80%) HCC patients have normal range of ALT. HBV-ONA level in HCC and in LC is significantly higher than that in CH (P = 0.024). The emerging of A 1899 is often accompanied by C/G1753 mutation (37.9%) and dual core-promoter mutation T1762A1764 (79.3%). Conclusion: A1899 mutation can play a role in the pathogenesis of liver diseases in chronic HBV-infected Vietnamese.\r\n', u'
Hepatitis B virus/ growth & ; development ; physiology ; Hepatitis B ; Chronic/ pathology ; transmission

This is a report of 2 cases of human hydatidosis caused by Echinococcus ortleppi in Vietnam. The patients were a 12-year-old male (case 1) having a cyst of 10.0×9.0 cm size in the lung and a 50-year-old female with a 3.0×3.3 cm-sized cyst in the heart. Eosinophilia was 33.7% in the male and 45.8% in the female patient. C-reactive protein was increased to 16.5 mg/L in the male and 18.2 mg/L in the female. Both patients were positive for ELISA at OD=2.5 and 3.1, respectively. Echinococcus protoscolices were collected from the cysts by amniocentesis and surgery. The protoscolices were identified as E. ortleppi by morphology and analysis of mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase 1 (nad1) gene sequence. Both patients were cured by surgical resection of the hydatid cyst combined with albendazole medication. The E. ortleppi infection in lung is the second report, and the other in the heart is the first in Vietnam.

Conjoined twins are rare, and each set of conjoined twins has a unique conjoined anatomy. It is necessary to perform separation to increase the chance of patient survival. Tissue expansion is an advanced technique for providing sufficient soft tissue and skin for wound closure. We report the successful application of rapid tissue expansion in 10-month-old xipho-omphalopagus conjoined twins in Vietnam. A tissue expander was placed on the anterior body between the sternum and umbilicus with a baseline of 70 mL sterile saline (0.9% NaCl). The first injection into the tissue expander began on the 6th day after expander insertion, and injections continued every 2 days with approximately 30–70 mL per injection according to the expansion of the skin. The expander reached 335 mL after six injections and within 10 days. In order to prepare for surgical separation, expansion was completed on the 15th day after insertion. The expanded skin area was estimated to be 180 cm2, which was sufficient to cover both patients’ skin deficiencies. The twins presented for surgical separation 6 days following the completion of tissue expansion. Both babies were discharged in good health 1 month after separation.

Conjoined twins are rare, and each set of conjoined twins has a unique conjoined anatomy. It is necessary to perform separation to increase the chance of patient survival. Tissue expansion is an advanced technique for providing sufficient soft tissue and skin for wound closure. We report the successful application of rapid tissue expansion in 10-month-old xipho-omphalopagus conjoined twins in Vietnam. A tissue expander was placed on the anterior body between the sternum and umbilicus with a baseline of 70 mL sterile saline (0.9% NaCl). The first injection into the tissue expander began on the 6th day after expander insertion, and injections continued every 2 days with approximately 30–70 mL per injection according to the expansion of the skin. The expander reached 335 mL after six injections and within 10 days. In order to prepare for surgical separation, expansion was completed on the 15th day after insertion. The expanded skin area was estimated to be 180 cm2, which was sufficient to cover both patients’ skin deficiencies. The twins presented for surgical separation 6 days following the completion of tissue expansion. Both babies were discharged in good health 1 month after separation.

In the present study, bioactivity-guided extraction and isolation of the n-hexane fraction of the fruits of Vietnamese Schisandra sphenanthera led to the isolation of five dibenzocyclooctadiene lignans as gomisin N (1), schisandrin C (2), gomisin H (3), gomisin D (4), and gomisin C (5). All the isolates were tested for their inhibition of NO production in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells. Among them, compounds 4 and 5 showed weak inhibition of NO production with IC 50 values of 25.0 ± 1.6 and 24.8 ± 2.0 µM, respectively. Compound 1 exhibited NO production inhibition with an IC 50 value of 15.8 ± 2.1 µM, meanwhile, schisandrin C (2) showed the most potent inhibition with an IC 50 value of 8.5 ± 0.5 µM. In addition, compound 2 had a concentrationdependent inhibitory effect on the protein expression of the inflammatory enzymes iNOS and COX-2. Their physicochemical properties and ADMET data were predicted by in silico, indicating favorable drug-like properties as well as low acute oral toxicity. The results suggest that the fruit of S. sphenanthera and its phytochemical constituents might be used as anti-inflammatory agents.